Train-dispatching system for railroads



March 3, 1931. s. N. WIGHT 1,794,569

TRAIN DISPATCHING SYSTEM FOR RAILROADS Filed March 18. 1 929 ATTORNEYPatented Mar. 3, 1931 V iIUM EDSTATES snnewicx 1v. w enir,or'nocnnsrnit, NEW ironxf; Assielvonfro eEnnnAI-i sAiLwAY i gieivnnIcomramr; or nocnns'rnn, NEW-YORK TnArn-nrsrmonmesysrrnm ron:an nnonns vI Application filed Mar-ch13, 1929.; Seria1 No; 347,910. I

This invention relates to train dispatching systems of the synchronousselector type, and more particularly to the provision of meansforstoring a" momentarily existing indica tion until such indication hasactually been transmitted over the synchronous selector system, A

Intram dispatching and OS-ing systems, it

is possibleto transmit an OS indication over the j synchronous selectorsystem in a direct way if theOS condition exists for aperiod of o timegreater than the time required to complete one cycle of operation of thesynchronous-selectorsystem. If, on the other hand,

the OS condition persists forless than'the time required to complete thecycle of operation of the/synchronous system, it is possible for the OScondition to belost and not'transmitted to the di'spatchers' ofiice-Ingdispatching systems ofthe synchronous selector type it is thepractice to indicate in the'dis patchers oflice theioccupancy of adetector track circuit associated With-a switch'ma chine. In the case ofa very short train, such as an engine andtender running along, movesover the detector track-circuit, these detector track circuits usuallybeing very short, may result in the de-energization of thecdetectortrack relay for .a very; short time, probably as short as2 or, 3seconds. It; is obvious that if a synchronousselector system is used inwhich the cycle of operation is'more than'this time it is possible thatthe OS condition is not transmitted tothe dispatchers oflice, but islost, because itfdoes not exist at the time the particular vOS channelover which it must be transmittedis available for use,

In accordance with the presentinvention it is proposed,1in view of theabove-mentioned and other important considerations, to. employ a stickrelay which is re-enegize'd upon occupancy ofcthe detector trackcircuit, and

which cannot be vre-energizejdfuntil the synfi chro'nous selectorvsystem has passed the chan- ,nel over which the'condition otthe detectortrack relavis transmitted to the dispatchers oflice, from which itappears that occupancy of the detector track circuit can be transmittedto the dispatchers oflice'through the med umof said sti k relay ev thugh thisd e tector track circuit is occupied only momentarily. g E Asanotherobj ect of the present invention, it isproposed to transmit achange in. the position of the switch machine. flSWell as the con ditionof occupancy of the detector track cir cuit through the medium of thesame stick relay above referred to. I v V e Other objects, purposes, andcharacteristic features of the present invention, will in part beapparent from the accompanying drawings and in part be pointed outhereinafter.

polarneutral control relay Z :(see Fig. 3B of saidapplication) controlstheswitch machine and associated signals at one end of apassing siding.Inaccordance with thepresentinvem tion itis proposed to control asimilarpolar neutralrelay Z over a synchronous selector system ofcontrol, and it is proposed to trans mitan OS indication to thedispatchers ofiice over the same synchronous selector system even:throughthe duration of the OS condition persists for. less than the timerequired tocomplete a single cycle ofoperationof the synchronousselectorsystem. Since the complete circuit arrangement from the polar neutralcontrol relayZ to the switch machine and signals has been disclosedin-my prior application to which reference may be had,thexdisclosureotthe present application will be confined to ,the mannerof controlling the control relay Z, and the manner in which an OSindication is stored by a. stick relay.

Referring to the accompanying drawings the east end of a passingsidingPS of a single -tracl: rallway, system has been shown, 1ncludingaswitch machine SM for operat ng the'track switch S, a main startingsignal 2,

1a; dwarf, starting signal 2 a main entering Signal 1,,and a vtake s dng. signal 1 ,The

switch S has associated therewith the usual detector track circuitincluding a track battery 3 and a track relay TD 'shown conventionallyby a dotted line. The control relay Z is controlled in accordance withthe position i of the two two-position direct current polar relays ofthe permanent magnetstick type,

that is, polar relays which will remain in the last position to whichthey were-operated by permanent magnets forming. part thereof.

The relay WP is a switch machine repeater relay, and is energized if theswitch machine assumes either extreme position. The relay- OS iscontrolled in accordance with the con ditions of the track relay TD'andtheswitch machine repeated relay \VP, in [a manner as will appearfrom the operation of the system.

In the dispatchers ofiice is shown a minia ture passing siding PSforming part of a miniature track layout conforming with the railwaysystem to which the train dispatching system is applied, an indicatinglamp I being provided to indicate the occupancy of the detector trackcircuit at the right hand, or east end, 0.1" the passing siding. Foreach'waystation, such as the way-station for controlling the switchmachine SM- and theassociated signals, there is a lever suitablyassociated with the miniature track layout, of

which the lever L only; has been shown. 3

rotated in synchronism in any suitable way.

Opcrat0n.1n order to get a more clear understanding or" the presentinvention, as illustrated in a single embodiment, it isbelieved'ex'pedient to consider the operation of the particular systemselected for illustration. Let us assume, thatthe dispatcher wishes tooperate'thecontrol relayZ toits right hand energized position, in orderto cleara certain signal by circuits moreclearly shown and describedin'my prior appllcation. In order to so energize the control relay Z theoperator will move his lever L, and its associated contacts CM and UN,to the right hand position,

and will thereby apply current of'positive polarity 'to the relay M eachtimethe *message circuit of the synchronousiselector system is closed,that is each time the" rotating contacts RC and RC engage the contacts11' and 11 through the following circuit be- I ginning at the positiveside of the'battery 20, wire 21 and'22, contacts CM, contact 11, wire23, contact RC", line wire 24, contact RC contact '11 wire 25, relay M,Wire 26 and 27, to the common return wire C connected to the mid pointof battery 20. Since, however, the relay M already assumes the righthand position, this relay M is not operated- ,Similarly this movement'ofthe lever L causes the application of current. of negative potential tothe relay N during each cycle of operation of the synchronous selectorsystem through the following circuit: beginning at the negative side-ofbattery 20, wires 28 and 29, lever contact CN, wire 30,'contacts l2 andRC, line wire 24, contacts RC and 12 wire 31, winding of the relay N,wire 27, to common return wIre'C connected to the mid point of battery20. The application of current of negative polarity to the relay Noperates it to the left hand position, thereby applying current ofpositive polarity to the control relay Z through the following circuit::beginning at the positive side of battery35, wire 36, contact '37 of therelay M, wire 38, contact 39 of the relay N, wire 40 and 41, winding ofthe relay Z, wire 42', back to the mid point of battery 35'. Thecompletion of this circuit will energize the relay Z to its right handenergizedposition. T Let us now assume that the dispatcher wishes toderenergize the control relay Z, and inoyes his lever L back to theintermediate posit on Under this condition of the lever L 'po's1t1v-epotential will be ap'plied'to both th'e relays M and N, thus operatingthe relay N tothe right hand position, the relay M already assuming theright hand position, thereby breaking the circuit for the relay Zheretofore traced and notcompleting'another cniegit, I

- it us now assume that the lever L is move to the left hand position,Under this condi tion current of negative polarity is applied to therelay M, and current of positive polarity is applied to the relay N,-thereby operatingthe relay M to the nagative position, the relay-Nalready assuming the right hand position, under which condition thefollowing'circuit for the control relay Z is completedzbeginning at thenegative'terminal of the battery'35,.wire 43, contact 44 of relay N 1nits right hand position, wire 45, contact 46, of relay'M in its lefthand position, wire 47 and 41, winding ofthe relay Z, wire 42 to the midpoint of battery 45, thus operating,

the control relay Z to'its left hand energized position.- It is thusseen that with the lever L inthe right hand position the relay Z isenergizedl to its right hand position, with the lever- L in its'lefthand position the relay Z assumes 'itsleft ha'nd position and with thede-energized. 1 I 'Let us'nowsee'h ow operation of the switch machine;is indicated in the dispatchers of fice: It' is noted that thecontact 49of the lever L in itsneutral position the relay Z is switch machineopens the circuit'for the switch repeater relay'VVP from the time theswitch machine is initiated untll it has com- I pleted its'ooeratingstroke, so that the relay lVP isde-en'ergizedso long as the switchmachine 1S operating from one to'the other extreme position. Thenormally closed en- 7 ergizing circuit for the relay OS maybe tracted as'follows:'- beginning .at the ter? minal. B of a suitable source ofcurrent, front contact 50 of relay DT, wire 51, front con.-'

tact 52 of relay. VVP,,wires 53and 54,stick contact 550i the relay OS,wires 56 and 57,

winding of the relay OS, to common return wire O connected to the midpointof said bat- I tery. It'should be noted that the indicat ing relayIR is intermittently energized with current of positive polarity duringrotation of the arms RC" and RC of the synchronous 1 selector system,through the following. circuit beginning at theterminal B of a suitablebattery, front contact 58 of the relay OS,

wire 59, contacts 13 and RG Wire 24, contacts RC": and 13, wire 60,\vindingof the I relay IR, wire 61 to common returnwire O WP isde-energized at the beginning iofthe switch machine stroke, thusbreaking the stick circuit for the relay OS heretofore traced andapplying current of negative polarity to the wire 53 derived from theneg-' ative terminal N ofsaid battery. Therelay OS of course assumes itsole-energized position because the magnetic flux of its magnetic circuitmust pass through zero in order to flow in the rcversedire'ction. Withthe relay OS once de-energize'd and itsstick'contact 55 open, it willnot be re-energized by'the application of current of negative polarityuntil the synchronous selector system has completed the indicatingchannel-over which the indicating relay IR is operated. This indicatingrelay IR is operated to the negative position in response to the contact58 a ssuming itsretracted position. At thesam'e time when this occursthe following pi'ek up cirfcuit for the relay OS iscompleted beginningat thenegative-terminal N of the bat--- tery heretofore mentioned,contact 52 of relay WPin its de-energized-position, wires 53 and62,contacts 13 ,63, and 13', wires 64:

and 57, winding of therelay OS to common return wire O connected to themid point of, said battery. With this circuit completed the relay OSispickcdup, and is stuckfup through a stick circuit readily tracedandincluding the contact 52 01? relay WP in'its de energized position..During the next rev-'- OllliilOIl ofthe synchronous selectorarms RC andROthe indicatin rela IR is a 'ain. o

erated to its right hand position in response to the contact 58 of therelay OS assuming its raised position. It thus seen that theindieating'lamp 1 is flashed momentarily upon initiationot the switchmachine on its oper-' ating stroke. This indicating lamp I is similarlyilluminated momentarily when the switch machine completes its stroke andin response thereto energizes the relay XVI and again reverses thepolarity of current applied to. the relay OS, which reverse polaritycauses-the relay OS to drop long enough-to energize the indicating relayIR to its left Fhand position after which'the relay OS is picked up andagain operates the indicating relay, IE to its'right handposition. It is-thns noted'that the indicating lamp I in the dispatchersoffice isilluminated at the beginningof the stroke and at the end of the strokeof operation of t-his'switch machine, thus" giving the dispatcher adistinctive signal, from which he may-interpret the'operatingcharacteristic of the switch machine as well as the position to which ithasbeen moved, considering therewith the position of the lev'erL. V

In a similar way as just pointed out in connection with; de-energizationof the relay W'P, de-energization of the track relay'TD effects deenergization of the relay OS and transmits a negative impulse to thedispatchers oflice to illuminate the indicating lamp Land in the eventthe track relay DT has been de-energized only momentarily, asl'by'reasonof the passage of a very short train at high speed, thisde-energization of the track relay TD is manifested in the tower byrtheillumination of the indicating lamp I even though the contact 50 oftrack relay 'DT is opened momentarily, this by provi-' sion of the stickrelay OS, which if once deenergiz'ed cannot pick up until thesynchronous selector system has had an opportunity to transmit anindication to the dispatchers office;

' Although the present invention'has been shown applied to a synchronousselector system-infwhichrotating contact arms are employed forsynchronously completing message channels sequentially, it is desired tobe understood that the invention is applicable to other systems in whichthe message channels are sequentially closed by'other apparatus, such assequentially-operated channelselecting relays:

' II'avingthus shown and'described one spe- 'cific embodiment of" thepresent invention,it is 'desiredto be understood-that the particularembodiment of; the invention illustrated has been selected for thepurpose of facilit'ating describing the nature thereof and its operatingprinciples, and not with theintent of limitingthe invent on tothezpartcularf "arrangement shown, and it is to be under stoodthattvarious changes, modifications,

and additions maybe madeto adapt-the in vention to'th'e particulardispatchingi 'aroh lem encountered in practicing the. invention,

all without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, or'the idea ofmeans underlying the same, except as demanded by the scope of thefollowing claims.

hat I claim is V I 1. In a train dispatching system'of the synchronousselector type, the combination with meansfor closing a large number ofmessage circuits each including'the same line wire sequentially, of anOS-lng relay which if energized supplies oneof said message cir cuitswith current of one polarity and when die-energizedsupplies such messagecircuit with current o-f'the opposite polarity," and means effective if.said OS-relay is ,de-ener gized for preventing reenergiza'tion thereofuntil said one message circuit has been supplied with current of saidopposite polarity.

2. In a train dispatching system of the synchronous selector type,the'combination with means for closing a large. number of messagecircuits each in'cludingthe same line wire semeans for closing a largenumber of message.

circuits each including the same line wire sequentially, of an OS-ingrelay whichif energized supplies one ofsaid message circuits"VltllCUll'BI-lt of one polarity and when deenergized supplies suchmessage circuit with current of the opposite polarity, a normally closedenergizing circuit for said OS-ing relay including a front contact ofsaid relay thus constituting a stick circuit, and a pick up circuit forsaid OS-ing relay including contacts only when said one message circuitOS-ing relay a front contact of a switch mais closed. a

4. In a train dispatching system of the synchronous selector type, thecombination with means for closing a large number ofmessage circuitseach including the same line wire sequentially, of an OS -ing relaywhich if energized supplies-cue of said message circuits. with currentof one; polarity and when de-energized supplies such message circuitwith current ofthe opposite polarity, a nor-- mally closed stick circuitfor'saidOS-ing relay including a :front contact of said chine indicatingrelay and "a front contact of a track relay, and a pick-up circuit forsaid OS-ingv relay including contacts of said synchronous selectorclosed only momentarily during each cycle of operation of saidsynchronous selector and front contacts of said track relay.

5. In a train dispatching system of the synchronous'selector type, thecombination with means for closing a large number of message circuits.each including the same line wire sequentially, of an OS-ing relaywhich if energized supplies one of said message circuits with current ofone polarity and when de-Zenergized supplies such message circuit withcurrent of the opposite polarity, a nor mally closed stick circuit forsaid OS-ing relay including 'a front contact. of said OS-lug relay afront contact of a switch machine indicating relay and a front contactof a track relay, and a pick-up circuit for said OS-ing relay includingcontacts of said synchronous selector closed only momentarily duringeach cycle of operation of said synchronous selector and including frontcontacts of said switch machine repeater relay.

6. In a train dispatching system of the synchronous selector type, thecombination with means for closing a large number of message circuitseach including the same line wire sequentially, of an OS-ing relay whichif energized supplies one of said message circuits with current of onepolarity and when de-energized supplies such message circuit withcurrent of the opposite polarity, normally closed stick circuit for saidOS ing relay including a front contac of said OS-ingrelay a frontcontact of'a switch machine indicating relay and a front contact of atrack relay, and a pick-up circuit for said OS-ing relay including inseries contacts of said synchronous selector closed only momentarilyduring each cycle of operation of said synchronous selector andincluding front contacts of said" track relay and said switch machinerepeater relay.

7.111 a train dispatching system, of the synchronous selector type, thecombination with means for closing a large number of message circuitseach including the same line wire sequentially, of an OS-ing relay whichif energized'supplies one of said inessage circuits with current of onepolarity and when de-energized supplies such message circuit withcurrent of the opposite polarity, a normally closed stick circuit forsaid OS-ing relay including a front stick contact of said OS-ing relay afront contact of a switch machine indicating relay and a front contactof a track relay, another stick circuit for said OS-ing relay includingthe saidfront stick contacts of said OS-ing relay and back contacts ofsaid switch machine relay, the first stick c' cuit of which ener- 'gizessaid OS-ing relay with direct current of positive polarity and thesecond stick circuit of which energizessaid OS-ing relay with directcurrent of negativepolarity, a pick-up contact for shunting said frontstick it is assuredthat this de-energized condition of the OS-ing relayis transmitted over the selector system eventhough the OS-ing re lay Wascle-energized only for an instant;

8. In a synchronous selector train dispatching system, the combinationwith means for closing a'large number of message circuits each includingthe same line wire sequentially and extending from a local dispatchersofiice to a distant way station, apolar neutral control relay at saiddistant way station, athree-position lever at said dispatchers office,and means-for causing said polar neutral relay to assume any one of itsthree conditions depending on the position assumed by saidthree-positioned lever and including two of said message circuits.

9. In a synchronous. selector train dispatching system, the combinationwith means for closing a large number of message circuits each includingthe same line' wire sequentially and extending from a local dispatchersoffice to a distant way station, three-position lever at saiddispatchers 015- fice, a control relay at said distant way station, twodirect current polar relays of the permanent magnet stick type locatednear :said control relay, acircuit and a source of current for causingsaid control relay to as sume one energized position when one of saidpolar relays assumes one polar position and the other polar relayassumes the reverse polar position, another circuit including saidsource for causing said control relay to assume the opposite energizedpositions when the first mentioned polar relay assumes the reverseposition and the second mentioned polar relay assumes said one polarposition and for causing-said polar neutral relay to an extreme positionand said track relay is deenergized. Y

11. In a centralized traflic controlling system of the synchronousselector type, the combination with a synchronous selector systemincluding means for sequentially rendering available a large number ofmessage circuits connecting a central oflice' and a distant way stationduring each cycle of 'operation of said selector system, a switchmachine operated through the medium of said selector syste1n, a stickrelay at said way station' for controlling an indicator at said centraloffice through the medum of said selector system, and means effective topick up said stick relay in each cycle of operation 1 of said selectorsystem if said switch machine assumes an intermediate position.

In testimony whereof I aliix mysignature.

SEDGWICK NPWIGHT.

assume the de-energized positions when said i two polar relay assumelike polar positions.

10. In a centralized trafic controlling system of the synchronousselector type, the combination with a synchronous selector systemincluding means for sequentially rendering available a large number ofmessage circuits connecting a central office and a distant way stationduring each cycle of operation of said selector system, a switch machineoperated through the medium of said selector system, a stick relay atsaid way station for controlling an indicator at said central .oficethrough the medium of said selector system, a track relay, and meansetfective to pick up said stick relay during each cycle of operation ofsaid selector system except when both said switch machine assumes

